Farm-gate



D. PHILLIPS.

Gate;

Patented Nov. 7, 1854..

lolilhognpher. Wuhinglm n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DEWEY PHILLIPS, OF SHAF'ISBURY, VERMONT.

FARM- GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,905 dated November 7, 1854.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DEWEY PHInLIPs, of Shaftsbury, in the county ofBennington and State of Vermont, have invented a new and Improved Methodof Constructing and Hanging Gates; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andto the letters marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in providing three posts, one to beset firmly in the earth on each side of the gateway marking itswidth-the other to be set in a straight line with the two first, distantabout the length of the gate from the center post, to the side of whichcenter post a roller is attached, by a pin, or bolt, on which the gateis moved back and forth. I also provide a gate of very simple form, andof suitable dimensions for the space, constructed with a proper numberof rails, attached by nails, rivets, or otherwise, to upright stiles atthe ends and one stile near the middle of the gate, on the back side ofwhich middle stile, and at the lower edge of the upper rail is placed aroller, on which the weight of the gate is at all times suspended,pressingin a vertical direction, it being held in an upright position byhooks or catches on the center post. I also provide an adjustable leverof about once and one half the length of the gate, of suitabledimensions and fitted to slide, or move, between friction rollersattached to the rear post, and passing between the two upper rails (andreceiving the weight of the gate from the roller at the center stile) itrests on the roller at the side of the center post, and moves back andforth, longitudinally about one half the length of the gatethe gatemoving the other portion of the distance on the roller at the middlestile, which roller revolves on the upper edge of the adjustable lever.

To enable others, skilled in the art, to make and use my said invention,I will give a more particular description of its construe tion andoperation.

The drawings referred to are as follows (via) Figure I, a view of thegate, showing its bearings when closed. Fig. II, an elevation of thegate, showing its bearings when half closed. Fig. III, an elevation ofthe gate, showing its bearings when open.

3, the ground sill, on which the posts standan unnecessary appendage toa gateand used in the model and drawings to show the relative positionof the posts; a, the front post, against which the gate closes; a, thecenter post on which the weight of the gate principally rests; 0, therear post, a guide to the adjustable lever-on which, when the gate isopen, a part of its weight rests; Z), the balance roller (see dottedcircles near the top of the stile g,) is placed in anotch in the loweredge of the upper rail, between the center stile g, and a lip on theback side of the rail, near the center of the gate, revolving on theupper edge of the adjustable lever L; j, the center roller confined by abolt, or pin to the post, n, on which the adjustable lever L issupported, and moves longitudinally back and forth, in opening andclosing the gate. 1", 7", two small friction rollersone above and theother below the end of the adjustable lever L. On the post 0, these maybe used or omitted, at pleasure. L, the adjustable leverabout once andone half the length of the gate and of suitable dimensions to sustainit, passing between the friction rollers r, 7", and, also, between thetwo upper railsmoving with ease, back and forth, on the center roller j,in opening and closing the gate; m, m, catches, or hooks, on the post n,at the top and bottom of the gate to keep it upright; 0, a pin in theupper rail to confine the gate when shut; t, a stop at the front end ofthe lever L, against which, when the stile a, comes in contact, it movesthe lever and gate back to the rear post 0; e, a stop at the rear end ofthe lever L, to prevent its moving too far forward; d a stop about onethird the length of the lever from its rear end, which coming in contactwith the clasp on the post 0, prevents its receding in the rear; a, thefront stile; g, the middle stile; h, the rear stile; o, the back stile;a1, a clasp on the post 0, to guide the lever L, sustain the frictionrollers 1', r, and arrest the stops.

Operation: The gate being constructed in a simple form, without braces,niortises, or hinges, as herein specified; and being closed as at Fig.I, the balance roller 6, on which the gate is suspended resting on thefront end of the adjustable lever L, which lever, and the whole weightof the gate ultimately, resting on the center roller j, at the side ofthe center post a. To open the gate, it is moved back toward the rearpost 0,the

balance roller b, revolving on the upper edge of the adjustable lever L,which lever commonly remains at rest'till the front stile u,

strikes the stop t, at the front end of the lever, as at Fig. II, whenthe wholeweight of the gate will still rest on the center post 7%. Thegate being still pressed back, aportion of the weight of the gate andlever recedes back, till the back stile Q), strikes the rear post 0,when the gate is open, as at Fig. III, and the balance roller 6, restingon the lever L nearly at the center between the posts n, and 0, thewhole weight will,

be nearly equally shared by the two rear posts.

Thus it will be seen that my improved gate, requiring neither braces,mortises, or hingeshaving less weight of timber, and being nearlybalanced on its- 'centeris not liable to sag, or draw the posts, onwhich it presses in a vertical direction, from their erect position. Itsfirst cost is much less-11; is less likely to get out of repair andoccupies less space in opening and closing than the 25 gates in ordinaryuse.

I do not claim operating gates by means of rollers, as that is alreadyknown and used; but

WV hat I do claim as y invention and 30 desire to secure by LettersPatent is '1. The adjustable lever L, of any desirable length anddimensions, or, its equivalent.

2.- The adjustable lever L, combined and arranged with the gate,and'posts-n, and 0,

as herein specifiedor in any other manner, substantially the same, whichwill produce the desired eflect.

DEWEY PHILLIPS. WVitnesses:

IIIRAM BARTON, LOUISA A. BARTON.

